# A Bubble explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A satirical poem about Mrs. Mehitable Marcia Moore, a woman who wears a large bustle inflated with hydrogen gas. When she goes to the beach, she refuses to remove it and instead wears a custom swimsuit. She wades into deep water, floats away as her bustle acts like a balloon, and ultimately bursts, causing her to drown.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The poem critiques societal vanity and the absurd lengths people go to for appearance, as Mehitable Moore prioritizes fashion over safety.

### Nature and Artifice

The artificial bustle, a man-made fashion accessory, leads to a fatal conflict with the natural environment of the sea.

## Key lines

> The bustle she wore was ingeniously planned / With an inspiration bright: / It magnified seven diameters and / Was remarkably nice and light. / It was made of rubber and edged with lace / And riveted all with brass, / And the whole immense interior space / Inflated with hydrogen gas.

Her bustle was a cleverly designed, lightweight rubber balloon filled with hydrogen, trimmed with lace and brass rivets.

_Describes the absurdly engineered fashion accessory that ultimately causes her demise._

> As her bubble drifted away from the shore, / On the glassy billows borne, / All cried: 'Why, where is Mehitable Moore? / I saw her go in, I'll be sworn!' / Then the bulb it swelled as the sun grew hot, / Till it burst with a sullen roar, / And the sea like oil closed over the spot⁠— / Farewell, O Mehitable Moore!

As her bustle carried her out to sea, the sun heated the hydrogen until it exploded, and she sank beneath the calm water.

_The climax of the poem, where vanity leads to a fatal accident._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/a-bubble
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters